Lee reiterated Samsung's long-term commitment to the people of India as a strategic partner, and apprised the PM of Samsung's business operations and citizenship activities in the country.NEW DELHI: Samsung Electronics' vice chairman Jay Y Lee met India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, within days of being nominated as a member on the board of the world's largest smartphone maker.

The only son of Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee is widely considered as the next leader of the smartphones-to-construction conglomerate, and has been brought on the board to take a more active role in the company’s strategic decision-making.

Lee reiterated Samsung’s long-term commitment to the people of India as a strategic partner, and apprised the PM of Samsung’s business operations and citizenship activities in the country.

Samsung said in a statement Thursday late evening, after the meeting, that Lee explained Samsung’s active partnership with the Make in India and Digital India initiatives.

Lee also committed to grow India as an important production base and central R&D hub, as Samsung continues to view India as an important strategic partner.

The South Korean company’s ultimate goal is to be not just a foreign investor but a true local business in India, where Samsung will work with local communities to build a better future, Lee said.

Besides Make in India, Samsung is also committed to ‘Make for India’, an initiative to create meaningful local innovations for the Indian consumers.